Open Secrets
by ScorplinginTraining
Summary: Secrets don't last long in the garage. A fluffy addendum to my Procreation Science story, but it can stand alone.


**Open Secrets**

 **AN: I started writing this ages ago. It was meant to be an epilogue of sorts to my Procreation Science story. I decided to finish, edit and publish it. I thought it was kinda cute and I also thought all the diehard Waige fans need some fluff right now after the 'shocking turn' news. *sigh***

 **BTW, it is possible to be trying to get pregnant and misread the signs. All pregnancies are different and some can have effects others don't, etc. Plus, at this point it had been eleven years since Paige had been pregnant. Let's chock this up to not expecting such early success with their endeavor.**

 **oxoxoxoxoxo**

"Walter, I need you to pull over at the next exit." Paige crossed her legs and bit her lip before turning to look out the passenger side window.

"We're already running a little late." Walter's mind was miles ahead, focused on the work day's list of tasks and he was anxious to get to the garage and begin.

"Look, there's a McDonald's. Just exit here, please?" She sounded a little desperate.

"We ate a healthy breakfast. Why would you want fast food lacking in nutritional value?" He frowned and looked over at her for the first time.

"If you want details, I gotta pee and I don't think I'm going to make it another ten minutes to the garage. _Pull_. _Over_."

The vehicle was still coasting to a stop in a parking space when Paige leapt out and hobbled toward the door. His impatience instantly dissolved into an unsettled feeling.

When she came back out of the restaurant a couple of minutes later looking much relieved, he felt himself relax a little too. She didn't appear ill at least.

When she was once again sitting beside him and buckling her seat belt, he asked, "Are you okay?"

As Walter was reversing in preparation to get back on the road, Paige answered, "Whew! I almost didn't make it. I don't get it. I went right before we left the condo. Maybe I'm getting a UTI or something. I've had a lot of near misses like that lately."

"It's possible." Walter nodded, then cleared his throat and added, "I've read some women get them more often when they engage in…," His cheeks flushed as he averted his eyes exclusively to the road, "…um, frequent…"

Paige chuckled. "Sex? You can say it, you know. I won't be shocked. And we've certainly been doing it _frequently_ , haven't we? Since we started this whole Genius 2.0 project."

He flashed her a cheeky grin. "I can truly say I've never enjoyed a biological experiment more in my life."

They shared a look and snickered like naughty teenagers.

Then he added more seriously, "All the same, I would feel better if you would contact your doctor about it. So far we don't have a Homeland case today, so maybe she could fit you into her schedule."

"I'm going to see if she'll check my blood sugar too. Recently I've been feeling a little sick when I get hungry, like my glucose is crashing or something."

"I've noticed you haven't been eating much lately. Maybe that's what's causing the low blood sugar levels," Walter suggested.

"Maybe. But I've just kinda been off food. It's like the thought of eating is revolting right now. I mean, I barely choked down half a bowl of oatmeal this morning and even thinking about it makes me feel queasy." The face she made plainly showed her distaste. "Ugh. Let's change the subject."

Walter frowned, his concern escalating. "I've noticed you've been falling asleep during the day a lot too. It's like you're extra tired these days. You definitely need to have another check up."

Paige gave him a saucy wink. "I think the fatigue can be blamed on you disturbing my sleep at night. In the best possible way." She reached over the console and patted his thigh.

Walter shrugged and grinned back, the giddy feeling caused by her teasing helped to tamp down his growing worry for her.

Fortunately Paige's doctor had a cancellation and she was able to get an appointment early that same afternoon.

Walter had to restrain himself from pestering her with texts while she was gone. Aside from simply being concerned about her health, the garage felt… odd when she wasn't there. As if it echoed with her absence.

He caught up on some proposals he'd been drafting when he'd run out of other busy work. He felt too restless to tackle a sticky coding issue he had with a new program he was writing, so he was almost grateful when a bored Toby sidled over and propped a hip on the desk providing a much needed distraction.

Being psychoanalyzed wasn't his favorite way to pass the time, his new preferred activity required Paige and privacy, but he wasn't going to complain about anything taking his mind off of what his girlfriend's doctor might be finding. Walter had enough of physicians delivering bad news when his sister was living.

"You seem a little bit off today. How 'bout you tell the doctor what ails you," Toby drawled, "Everything okay with you and the missus? I notice she's suspiciously absent this afternoon."

"It's not really any of your business, but she had an appointment," Walter responded tautly.

"You've been restless and moody since she left. I'm not picking up aggravated vibes from you, so I'm going to assume you didn't get into an argument at lunch, even though I overheard you nagging at her to eat something…"

Walter glared at him.

"Ah. See? That's a perfect example of the aggravated vibe I didn't detect before." Toby continued assessing without permission, "So, I'd say she really must have an appointment. With…?"

"Her doctor, okay? Can you drop it please?" Walter hissed irritably.

"So, you're moody about that because… She needed a refill on her birth control meaning you haven't committed assault with a friendly weapon lately?" Toby waggled his brows then narrowed his eyes, scoping out Walter for changes in body language and microexpressions.

Frowning and blushing, he focused his gaze on his monitor. " _No_. That's not it. Don't you have some work to do?" He snapped.

"I _am_ doing my work, boss. In the absence of a Homeland case, I'm honing my unique skills on you so I can stay in practice for the next situation requiring them." Nodding as if it were settled, the shrink kept at it. Toby was nothing if not persistent. "Ha! I've got it. You must be worried about her for some reason. Is something wrong with Paige?"

Walter's face fell. "I don't know. I hope not."

All the taunting immediately stopped, now fully in serious doctor mode, he inquired, "What are her symptoms? Can you tell me?"

Hoping Toby could alleviate the disquiet he was feeling, Walter blurted, "Um, she's been nauseated, especially when she's hungry. She's been feeling fatigued a lot too. Oh, and she, uh… well, she's been urinating frequently. With-with considerable urgency. I've been looking up the various symptoms off and on all morning. I-I think she could've developed diabetes. Do you? Or do you think it could be something worse…?"

To Walter's surprise, Toby made a brief choking noise then compressed his lips obviously trying to hide a smile. "I'm going to ask something personal here, okay? Don't get mad. My interest is purely medical. But have Paige's, um…" Toby gestured to his chest, "Humpty Dumplings been unusually sensitive in the last couple of weeks?"

Walter's eyes widened and he huffed, indignantly, "I'm not going to tell you that!" When the psychiatrist crossed his arms and waited, eyebrows raised, he added in a whisper, "But hypothetically… let's say they have been. What would that signify?"

Toby giggled. Then he reached over and slapped Walter heartily on the back. "Our lovely office manager is going to be just fine… in eight months or so. Congratulations, _Dad_!"

Walter's mouth dropped open and he went warm then cold all over.

"Oops. Put your head between your knees a minute, Dad. You went white as a sheet. Don't want you passing out on us." Toby rested a reassuring hand on Walter's shoulder as the expectant father bent over and took deep breaths.

"What? Paige is pregnant?" Sylvester gushed as he tripped up to the boss' desk, face filled with joy. "That is exciting news!"

"Wow. Knocked her up already? Way to go, Casanova!" Happy called over the metallic squealing of her electric screwdriver.

"That's great, son!" Cabe threw in as he stepped out of the kitchen, beaming ear to ear.

Paige picked that moment to walk in the door. The whole team, except Walter, who looked positively petrified, turned to her as one and roared, "Congratulations!"

So much for quietly sharing her happy little bombshell with just her boyfriend.

But that's the kind of thing you come to expect when you work with a bunch of geniuses.


End file.
